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Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma

Introduction

During an asthma attack, the airways
swell and narrow. This makes it hard to breathe. Asthma is a lifelong problem,
but it does not have to limit you. If you take charge of your asthma, you can
lead a full and active life.

You and your doctor will make an
asthma action plan that outlines the two approaches to
taking charge of asthma:

Controlling asthma over the long term. Daily
controller medicine helps reduce the swelling of your airways and prevent
attacks.

Treating attacks when they occur. The action plan will
outline the steps to take and medicine to use to treat asthma attacks.

Using the asthma action plan also helps you keep track of
your asthma and know how well your treatment is working.

If you or
your child has been recently diagnosed, it may seem like there is a lot to
remember. But the things you need to do to take charge of your asthma are
really quite simple. With some practice, they will become part of your normal
routine.

How to take charge of your asthma

Follow your asthma action plan

Take your daily medicines as prescribed. This
can keep asthma under control and help you avoid asthma attacks.

Keep your treatment goals in mind. This may help you stay on
your treatment.

Review your list of triggers. Avoiding triggers
can help reduce the chance that you will have an asthma attack.

Know your asthma zones

An action plan is based on zones that are defined by your symptoms, your peak flow, or both. There are three zones: green, yellow, and red. Your action plan tells you what to do when you are in each zone.

Check your symptoms or your peak flow, or both, on a regular basis, and use your action plan to see what
zone you are in. If you have yellow zone symptoms or if your peak flow drops below 80% of your
personal best measurement, follow your action plan. To
figure out what 80% of your personal best measurement is, multiply your
personal best measurement by 0.80. For example, if your personal best peak flow
is 400, then 80% of that is 400 times 0.80, which is 320. To figure what 50% of
your personal best peak flow is, multiply your personal best measurement by
0.50.

Green means Go. You are
in the
green zone if your peak flow is 80% to 100% of your
personal best measurement.

This is where you want to be. Keep taking
your daily asthma medicines as prescribed.

Yellow means Caution. You
are in the
yellow zone if your peak flow is 50% to 79% of your
personal best measurement. You may not have any symptoms, but your lung
function is reduced. When symptoms are present, you may cough, wheeze, or feel
short of breath. Or your asthma may limit your activities or wake you up at
night.

You should take action. Your action plan
will tell you what medicines you need to take, how much to take, and when to
take them. If you keep going into the yellow zone from the green zone, talk
with your doctor. You may need a different medicine or the dose of your
medicine may need to be increased.

Red means DANGER. You are
in the
red zone if your peak flow is less than 50% of your personal best
measurement. You may be very short of breath. Or the quick-relief medicines may
not have worked. This is dangerous.

Take the actions listed in your action
plan. You may need to go to the emergency room or be admitted to the
hospital.

Use your asthma diary

If you have an attack, write down what caused it
(if you know), the symptoms, and what medicine you took.

If you use a peak flow meter, write down your peak flow readings in your
asthma diary(What is a PDF document?).

Check your peak flow if your doctor recommends it

Use your peak flow meter. This is a good way
to check how well your lungs are working, which is called lung function. Your
lung function can get worse without causing symptoms.

Check your
peak flow as often as your doctor tells you to. For many people this is twice a
day, morning and evening.

If you have trouble using your meter,
talk with your doctor.

See your doctor to review your plan

Keep your regular follow-up appointments. During
checkups, your doctor will ask if your symptoms or your peak flow, or both, have held steady,
improved, or gotten worse. He or she will also ask if you have asthma symptoms
during exercise or at night. This information can help your doctor know if your
asthma category has changed or if you need to change
medicines or doses.

When you go to your doctor:

Take your asthma action plan and your asthma
diary, if you have one. Get answers to any questions you may have about your
asthma plans or your symptoms. Let your doctor know if treatment is not
controlling your asthma symptoms.

Take your peak flow meter and
medicines so your doctor can review your treatment and the way you use the
meter and medicines.

Make sure you know how and when to call your
doctor or go to the hospital.

Tell your doctor if you are having
trouble following your action plan.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.